Some people always stay the same
by mz-lou
Summary: A little of Pre-Dalton Thad One shot


/ So yeah this is "Emma is bored so she's writing some random stuff" Wednesday stuff. It's a bit of pre-Dalton Thad. To quote Darren "Welcome to my Head"

Thad sat in the library, his usual hang out, during the free periods that he had in 8th Grade. Nothing had changed much in the previous three years, apart from he'd grown a little taller, and a little less naive. His last year at Oakstone had been pretty topsy turvy to say the least. His father had insisted that he enrolled in extra science, so that it would boost his grades for high school despite having a consistent 4.0 for the last three semesters.

He thumbed through his worn copy of Prisoner of Azkaban, and was about to get absorbed into his extra credit French project when a familiar presence joined him at the table.

"What do you want Annie?" Thad asked his older sister, who had elected to stay at Oakstone, rather than move to a different High School.

"That's no way to greet your sister" another voice replied, "Annie, your brother can be so rude"

"I'm used to it Dan," Annie laughed. "What up T?"

"I'm reading" Thad dead-panned, looking at his sister over the top of his book. "Surely you can see that."

Annie held her hands up in defence. "Okay Captain Sarcasm. What's gotten your pants in a twist?"

"What do you think?" Thad returned, "Once again my extra-curricular activities have been broadcast to the Football team. Who seem to think that because I spend most of my free time dancing Salsa that it's instantly something that makes me a 'girl'." He closed his book with a sigh, as Annie looked at him with confusion. "They found a competition video."

"Wait," Danielle frowned, "Thad I didn't know you did Salsa, Annie why didn't you tell me he did salsa."

"Because Dan" Annie nudged her friend in the ribs, "Thad likes to keep his options open, which means he likes to keep himself to himself. It wasn't my business to tell. Dad enrolled Thad in dance classes, mum and I stare at his dance teacher," she shrugged. "It's win-win. Thad gets to dance with girls, Dad gets to talk about something other than school and work with Thad, and mum and I get a show."

"The jerks on the Football team don't see it as "win-win"" Thad shrugged, "That's why I'm in here again, getting ahead with my work, so I can practice with Kate all weekend."

"Who's Kate?" Annie asked, "I thought you were dancing with Stephanie?"

"I was" Thad nodded, "I'm not anymore."

"How come…?"

"I ended our partnership." Thad answered.

Annie rolled her eyes, pulling up a chair beside her brother. "You're going to have to tell me more than that, TNT"

"I was getting there". Thad said, stretching his hands behind his back, "Just give me a second."

"We're waiting." Danielle answered, Annie rolling her eyes, "What?" laughed Danielle. "I like gossip."

"It's not gossip per say" Thad smiled half heartedly. "It's just that I found out she was a horrible person, and I wanted nothing to do with her."

"Thad" Annie whined, causing her brother to chuckle. "Tell us."

"Okay then" He said, leaning forward. "You know how Stephanie's father is French right? And her mother is English?"

"Yes" Annie responded, "I don't get how this is relevant"

Thad shook his head at his elder sister, "Patience young grass hopper. I'm getting there" He insisted, "She attends the boarding school in North Ohio, where most of the students are from European families, and they learn European History, and study Russian, and Philosophy…"

"… and it looks like Hogwarts, and you heard that they have a Quidditch Team. Yes." Annie answered. "I know what school she goes to."

"Like I said, she attends the school with families from Europe" he replied, blushing slightly. "Anyway I went to meet her after school for our hour long Wednesday practise for the Ohio Latin junior championships and I heard her talking about this boy."

"So you heard a girl talking about a boy." Annie interrupted sarcastically, "Big deal."

"Let me finish" Thad grumbled. "She was talking about this boy in the year below her. And how he'd been in England until he was 8, and had moved to here, and how he was such a 'queer', and how he was obsessed with Japanese things and art. And how he was just 'rubbing his gay' in everyone's faces."

"What's it to her if someone's gay?" Annie replied, frowning. "Each to their own, and all that."

"Precisely" Thad nodded, thankful his mother and father were open-minded, and had raised them both to be that way. "I was going to let it slide until I saw her taunt him myself when I'd spoken to him myself at that school. I just couldn't let it slide Annie, I had to say something. She began the whole 'The bible says it's wrong'."

"What happened Thad?" Danielle asked, her face set with concern.

Thad smiled sheepishly, he always did like his sister's best friend. "I got "TNT" as Annie would say."

Thad hung back in the car-park of Northern View Boarding School, after getting his mother to drop him off an half an hour early before he was due to meet Stephanie, just after her English lesson. Thad was about to sit in the warm April sunshine when he noticed a tall figure appear and perch on the benches next to the western courtyard. Thad shrugged, and walked over to the lone figure and introduced himself.

"Hey" he greeted, smiling as the boy looked over to him. "I'm Thad"

The other boy nodded, "Hi" he replied.

Thad frowned and sat beside him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Yeah" the other boy dismissed. "I'll be fine, I just wanted to get away from them."

"From who?" Thad asked, his face etched with concern.

"Those idiots that play what American's call 'Football'" the boy answered. "Sorry, I'm Flint by the way."

"Hi Flint" Thad smiled, "So you're English then?"

"Half-English" Flint corrected. "My mother is American, Father is English. He's a bit of an arse" he added causing Thad to chuckle. "What?"

Thad chuckled, "Arse is such an English word."

Flint smiled, "I suppose it is yeah." he giggled, "So why are you here?"

"Oh, meeting my partner." Thad answered, "We've got practise at 5."

"Partner for what?"

"Salsa" Thad shrugged, "Tease away, I've heard them all."

"That's actually pretty cool." Flint grinned, "I wish I could dance, I'm pretty un-coordinated."

"I'm sure you can dance" Thad said, trying to encourage his new friend. "You just need the right teacher."

"Is that an offer of a dance lesson then?" Flint quipped, "Because I'm warning you now, I'm pretty rubbish. You might be in danger."

"Danger?" Thad laughed, "Hah! I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha!"

"Nerd" Flint scoffed.

"Ravenclaw" Thad corrected, "Anyway, I spot the fair Stephanie in the distance. I'll see you around Flint."

"Bye!" Flint called, as Thad walked over to Stephanie.

"What were you doing with that Queer?" she demanded, as Thad walked up to her. "He's such a freak."

"What crawled up your backside and died?" Thad returned, stepping back from her.

"I don't like people who are gay" she answered.

"What's another person's sexual preference to you anyway.?" Thad snapped. "Merlin" he scoffed, "I thought the French were liberal."

"Its wrong" She responded. "It says so in the bible."

"Siriusly?" he said raising his eyebrow. "Are you going down that avenue?"

"Why are you defending him?" She frowned, "Are you gay as well?"

"No" Thad replied calmly. "I just don't see why it should be any of your business if anyone is or not. It's not as if its going to directly effect you in any way. So why should it matter?"

"Because its wrong!" Stephanie exclaimed, "The bible says so."

"The bible also says its wrong to cut your hair, and that you shouldn't work on a Sunday. Yet a minister still does" Thad reminded her. "My mother is a literary critic remember, I do know things. I'm not some narrow minded little bitch in Ohio, thinking that its not okay to be who you are."

Stephanie gaped at him. "How dare you?"

"No" Thad growled. "You leave it, leave Flint alone okay. It's hard enough being different without being made worse, by people like you. I get enough stick for dancing with you, because I know that we are good enough to win the Ohio Latin championships, and the grief would be worth it. But you know what Stephanie, its not."

He shrugged, "I'd rather start from scratch with someone else than spend any more time with you."

Stephanie huffed and slapped him hard across the face. "Freak" she shrieked, and stormed off in the direction of the west wing pushing past a shocked Flint that had seen the whole exchange.

"Sorry you had to see that." Thad apologised, running his hand through his hair sheepishly. "I just can't stand people like that."

Flint crossed the space between them pulled him into a hard hug. "Thank you" he whispered as he held Thad close. "Just thanks."

"Don't mention it." Thad replied blushing. "I can't help myself. I have to be the 'peace keeper' so when someone's out of order, I say things."

"Is that a Ravenclaw thing?" Flint teased, "Aren't they the smart ones?"

Thad nodded grinning, "We find in necessary to correct those who are wrong" he replied. "I always thought Stephanie was a Slytherin, I guess I was proved right. Slytherin's are the mean house."

"What does that make me then?" Flint asked.

Thad frowned in thought. "You give great hugs, so I think you're a Hufflepuff."

"Hufflepuff it is then" Flint giggled, "The yellow house."

"Yellow is a good colour." Thad shrugged.

"That it is."

"So you were his knight in shining armour then?" Annie teased, "How romantic"

"I knew you wouldn't get it" Thad sighed, "I had to correct the spiteful things that Stephanie said, and I met a new friend. I think it was a good afternoon."

"Aww!" Danielle replied, "Annie, how did you get such a cute brother. I'm going to miss him when he transfers at the end of the year. You're going to Dalton right?"

Thad nodded, "I've heard great things about their choir," he smiled gathering his stuff up. "And they wear blazers, so I don't have to worry about finding different things to wear every day."

"Dapper Boys in Blazers" Annie grinned dreamily. "I get to go there for Parent's nights and stuff. A school full of boys, yum."

"Thad I'm jealous" Danielle pouted, "Can you take me with you.?"

Thad laughed, his sister and her best friend were clearly insane. "I'll see" he chuckled, "If you ladies would excuse me" he said bowing, causing his sister to crack up. "I have a French class to attend, so I bid thee farewell."

"Later TNT!" Annie called as he headed out of the library.

"Annie?" Danielle whispered, "Do you think Thad's gay?"

"Honestly?" Annie asked, "If he found the right guy probably. Other than that Thad's probably just going to be Thad."

"Thought as much." Danielle giggled, "I bet you twenty bucks, he'll end up with Flint."

"Oh you're so on" Annie smirked.


End file.
